In celebration of the 150th anniversary of college football, ESPN has compiled a list of the 150 greatest players in the history of the sport–a list compiled by a panel of 150 media members, college administrators, former players and former coaches.
Included on that list are a trio of former Tar Heel greats, linebacker Lawrence Taylor, defensive end Julius Peppers and running back Charlie “Choo-Choo” Justice.
Taylor was ranked No. 42 on the list, while Peppers was No. 104 and Justice was No. 133.
In 1980, Taylor set a UNC record with 16 sacks that season on his way to unanimous All-American honors and the ACC Player of the Year award. That season was also the last time the Tar Heels won the ACC championship.
Peppers, meanwhile, led the FBS in sacks in 2000 and would also become a unanimous All-American the next year in 2001. He also averaged 1.9 tackles for loss per game, a mark that still ranks second all-time in FBS history.
Justice–who has a statue outside of Kenan Stadium–was UNC’s original football superstar, finishing second in the Heisman Trophy race in both 1948 and 1949. With 4,871 yards of total offense for his career, Justice was also a two-time All-American. In his honor, the 22-yard lines at Kenan Stadium are painted Carolina blue.
Photo via UNC Athletics
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